Exotic Animal Welfare

There is currently no welfare legislation for exotic animals in Ireland. We regularly see exotic animals like monkeys, zebras, wallabys, racoons as well as snakes, lizards, spiders, turtles, etc for sale on the internet and other places. These animals are often sold to people with little or no understanding of the care needed to look after these beautiful creatures and keep them in healthy, comfortable and safe conditions. People are also unaware of the costs associated with keeping an exotic animal in terms of their living conditions, feed and healthcare needs.

Exotic animals can be bought and sold freely in Ireland under the current 1911 animal welfare legislation.

The DSPCA believes that we cannot continue to have exotic animals bought and sold without any form of license.

The only way that this can be done is through the introduction of an appropriate system to register exotic animals and all animals micro-chipped to prevent cases of animal cruelty & neglect.

The Animal Health and Welfare Bill is due to contain this legislation, we have been assured time and again by successive administrations that it will be provided, but the Animal Health and Welfare Bill has once-again been put on the long finger. The current legislation dates back to 1911 – it is outdated and needs to be amended.

The DSPCA is asking the government to pass the Animal Health and Welfare Bill into Irish legislation immediately to stop all instances of animal cruelty.